Ammunition gauging machine



Oct. l2, 1943. w-. s. REYNOLDS 2,331,422

V AMMUNITION GAUGING- MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN-roR WARREN s. REYNOLDS ATTORNEY Oct. 12, 1943 w. s. REYNOLDS AMMUNITION GAUGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WARREN S` REYNOLDS ATTORNEY Octl?, 1943- w. vs. REYNOLDSv 2,331,422

AMMUNITION GAUGING MACHINE lNvENToB WARREN s.REYNOLDs ATTORNEY Work holder A novel work holder 24 (see Figs. l, 2 and 4) is provided by the present invention in the form of a standard 25 secured to the top wall |1 of the main frame as by screws 25. at the top thereof is provided with an inclined channel 21, defined by side walls 28 and 29 extending downwardly toward the front of` the machine. A stop 30 is provided at the lowermost section of the channel 21 in order tovlimit the downward movement of pieces of product 3| such as shells, cartridges and the like. Illustrative of one working embodiment of the invention, cartridges are shown as the l,product being tested. However, it will be readily appreciated that a wide variety of products may be tested with the 0f presentinvention. Preferably, the channel 21 is also provided with an overlying plate 32 to prevent such product from bulging outwardly of the channel, particularly in the forward or steeper part thereof. The rear half of the standard 25 and channel 21 is less steep and is not provided with an overlying plate in order to facilitate loading of the work holder 24. Pieces of product may be dropped into the work holder one at a time, as the machine functions one by one on pieces of product; or, the work holder may be loaded with a plurality of product and serve as a continuous supply or work magazine. i

In order to insure a one-by-one passage of product 3| to the stop 30, and to what may be termed the loading station of the work holder, the present invention provides a detent 33 in the form of a simple spring lever 34 in a channel 35 suitably secured to a pivotally mounted rod 35 near the lower end of the standard 25. A spring 31, at its lower end, is suitably mounted upon a suitable pin on the rearwardly extending section of the lever 34, and at its upper end is set in a suitable socket 38 at the underside of the standard 25, as may be seen best in Figs. 1 and 4. Normally the spring 31 urges the rearwardly extending section downwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, in order'to lift or Vmove the forwardly extending finger 39 of the lever'34 in a clockwise direction upwardly into the channel 21 in order to prevent product 3| from moving downwardly onto the stop 30. However, as this detent lever 34 is moved in a `counterclcckwise direction into the position shown in Fig. `l, as by pressing upon a linger 40 suitably secured to the rod 36 upon which the lever 34 isrsecured (see Fig. 2) i either manually, or in an automatic manner more fully described hereinafter, the forwardly extending finger 39 is moved out of the channel 21 and allows the lowermost piece then in the channel to drop onto the stop 30, as shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter, as the finger 40 is released the spring 31 again causes the linger 39 of the `lever 34 to engage and' restrain the next successive pieces of product then in the channel 21.

Gauging mechanism A simple yet very effective gauging mechanism 4| is provided by the present invention, which in fil This standard 275 its present preferred form includes a gauge 42 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 5 particularly) secured by screws 43 to a bell crank 44 pivotally mounted upon a sleeve 45 carried on a shoulder stud 46 mounted upon the side wall l2, as may be seen best in Fig. 2. This bell crank is preferably provided with a roller 41 on a stud 48 at the lower end thereof which is engageable with a cam 49 secured to the main drive shaft l5 as by a set screw 50 (see Figs. 1 and 2). A suitable spring 5| is secured to the bell crank 44 and main frame to maintain the bell crank 44 against the cam 45 Although the gauge 42 may be made integral with the bell crank 44 it is preferably made as a separate member in order to be interchangeably secured thereto as by the screws 43. Thus, larger or smaller gauges may be readily interchanged `thereon to condition the machine for gauging larger or smaller cartridges, or other product. The gauge 42 includes jaws 52 and 53 defining a gauging channel 54 therebetween, adapted to receive the product 3| which is to be gauged and assorted. These jaws are tapered relative to each other in order to be closer at the rear or inside of the gauge. This may be accomplished by having one or both of the jaws at an angle, with respect to the plane or movement of the bell crank 44. As shown the jaw 53 is straight and the jaw 52 is at an angle. Preferably these jaws 52 and 53 include removable or interchangeable hardened plates 52' and 53 on the face thereof. The spacing and angular arrangement of the jaws 52 and 53 are such that: pieces ci product which are oversize in length will wedge between the jaws 52 and 53 substantially in the outer one third thereof; pieces of product of correct or standard size will wedge in the center one third of the jaws; and product undersize in length will wedge in the closer or rearmost one third of the jaws. A recess 55 is provided near the center of the gauge 42 to clear the stop 3U.

Thespring 5| and cam 48 are arranged to move the bell crank 44 and associated gauge 42 from the retracted position shown in Fig. l arcuately into the advanced position shown in Fig. 4. During this movement the jaws 52 and 53 of the gauge 42 envelope the lowermost piece of product 3|.in the work holder 24, which is resting upon the stop 35. As the tapered jaws are arcuate'g/ moved in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 past the stop 30, the piece of product is nally wedged between the jaws 52 and 53 wiz., overlength product in the one-third front or outer section of the jaws; standard product in the onethird central section of the jaws; and underlength product in the one-third final or inside section or' the jaws), whereupon the gauge 42 and product 3| are moved'into the advanced position shown in Fig. 4. f At this point the operator may merely press down on the product which is wedged in the gauge 42 and thereby cause it to drop from the gauge into immediately underlying overlength, standard and underlength chutes 55, 51 and 58, respectively, of a chute unit 59.

This chute unit 59 may be made in any suitable way. As shown it is formed by a sheet metal main casing 50 of generally rectangular form with dividing plates 6| and S2 which separate the main channel of this member into the three chutes. These chutes are preferably held in place by a bracket 63 which is secured to the chutes as by screws 64 andato the main frame .H asY by bolts 65 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). The width extending-'slide et 'df the divi-ding plate ti Vif toy roll the ov'erlengtl'l product 'into a con n'e'r near tljlegfjrentnof thelrnachine; Athe chui-lei!l bhe. PfOVdFWUh a d@ i *Y extending slide 6I?- to dit er't theunde'rlergthpd fuct `to a suitable container near the -rar "cntlie machine; a -sidewisle and downwar y eztending slide dema'y be Weidejqojothermse f y Slides '65 @may if. 11d a coffee gro ut to another contener 'segnet frein are Q e ti tp die side oaf themadmm Triest fdrver.J ,fig sheesfare mreiy uiagrarimatmauy in Fig. l jas tlle "completed construction depend-s sinewhatjon the type of conventional container used therewith, as will be readily "appreciated by a'ny mechanic.

"Impelling zzeclhamjsnz.,V y To further insure gprolductfbeigwedged tween lthe jaws 52 "and 53 'oi the gauge `4-2 Yas the latter is moved and carries product from the Aretracted to the A'advanced position, the pres'erit in- Vfenticn provides-an inipelling Amechfanisni "39 which, in its present preferred f'forx'n (Figs. 1, '2 and 4) includes 'an inipeller bell crank NJ pit/dtally mounted lUqzion a sleeve Ti supported `on *a hub l2 of tlie -`g'auge-carril/in'g bell 'crank dll' ('see Fig. 2*). The irnpelle'r v'bell crank;4 T0 includes Va plate i3 vat the upper'encl thereoffnori llysubtendant in the path if die pioduet 'and linternfledlate the jaws 52 and 53 las shownjinl'Fflgs, -1 andm2, and 'also has an integral rearwardly extending arniw lll with the rol-ler adapted to engage an /ir'npeljler cani 1'6.si1itably secured rto the main drive shaft, ltGasfsll-iown Figs. l A4and Ll, particularly. A -coillspring 'll l-iavin'gits ends secured to the upwardly vext'ending part Aof the impeller bell crank FB and to the 'upper'arm orv the'gauge `b'ell cranklljs'ers to yieldngly 'pullthe injpeller `bell crank 'Hl and-fthe lplate T3 thereonwzearwardly in a clockwise fd'recti'on fas yiewed in rig. Yl and to maintain the plate te in this normally retracted lposition 'whenever the ,lower lobe lil of the carril@ is in engagement with the roller l5. This 'spring connection between the two bell'cra'nks #t4 andjl'f also'serve's toprvide a uniform pressure of the plate I3 against product 3 Vas the gauge 42 land the product 3ft therein move toward the advanced position, since theA pull of "the spring '7l Vin effect 4moves along with tile travel of Atl'le'gauge 42. Y r y y As the jaws 52 and' 53 4of gauge 412 sweep in a `clockv'vise directinfrorn the retractedposition shown in Fig. 1 toward thefadvanced-'po# sition shown in Fig. Ll, the plate i3 is inthe p'atfh of the lowermost pie'c'e of' product 34 then resting upon the stop 30 and yieldingly impels or pushes the product into 'a snug wedge `lit between the jaws 452 "and ld3; After the product is so wedged between the jaws the spring Ti allows the plate 13 and crank arm 'IU to be carried in a counterclockwise direction concurrently with the product 3l, gauge 42 and crank 44. As the f sa ifaelddmg 'ejector beu trank yl pivotal-1y tained against an ejector can-l 'dias by a coil spring 86 secured to suitable studs on the ejector bell crank '31a-'rid lnain frame H, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The cam 85 vis suitably secured tothe mai-n driv'e shaft l"6 as byv a screw 81, and

is prvided with a high Lnite 88` adapted. to'mov'e the bell' crank int@ l'the retracted a'd farthest clockwise p'si-thVl/"n in Fig. and' with fa. IW lobe 48Sy adapted to 'allow tlie bell crank 8| to be noved Y'tio' its farthest contefr'clkwise position shouf-n by vd'ct-and-dash lines '2l under the lnflllne 'f 'the/spring 86. AH vejictor' lflal 9) is provided at the upper end "of the "bell crank il, tl'ir integral therewith ol" l tli frih of la Separate member-secured 4thereto as by is'cr'ey'ls l As the 'head 99 is inved from the retracted vpositio'n Ashown in `solid lines in "4 downwardly intoi the advanced position 'shown byy dot-andclash lines `in the fsarne figure, the head `serves 'to push 'underlying pieces lof lproducttnen carried by the gauge '42 in the latters advanced 'position as shown in Fig'. 4 vdownwardly-andfout of the wedged position within the vjaws-t2 and 5s mit@ the underlying Lchutes 56, 2vl'fr 8. Preferably,

'i this ejector head is inclined upwardly, generany toward 'the frzmt off-the mach-rile, fso that it hasa tendency .to loosen the wedgedfpieces of productatthe timeo'f also yejer-ting them downwardlyl from `the gauge.

Driving mechanism drive :pulley 9-2- is suitably secured 'to thel'naihjdrive Asl'iaft *I6 y`as b'y a screwl' and is, as through a |`belt #94, xcc'yn'fn'ect-ed to any preferred for'n of' prime @noi/er. VAS jsl'iozsn, this prime mover may be fin the form of an electric motor 95 secured tofthe bottom `wall 'I9 f the main frame ll as 'by ybolts "96, and saidy motor in Iturn being connected Ato 'a dlj'iye'r 'pulley '-l ythrough ya standard reduction yunit l ST8-,l as fshown 'iin Figs. l and 2. with the latter "prime mover the beu eXteridslffrorn the drivel-pulley 9:7 to `the driven pulley 92. The "electric mtor na'y A'be :connected `to any conventional source 'of power in lthe usual wa-y.

Products! is placed-in @echarme "zi whereuponjit rousroriwardly and downwardly to the stop "30. A suitable :supply 'or ow of 'work is fjdft, the Wprk holder 2,21V either rianully .or through a Suitableconfnectih ofthe work 'holder to'aqonventina1-heppe'r mechanism, 'when me 'main 'drive shaft 1s. trmite', "as by. "the motdr`95, in the 'manner just described or Yby any other suitable prime mover, a low lobe 49, of the cam 4S sweeps into engagement with the roller 41 of the gauge crank arm 44, and thereby allows the coil spring 5I to move the arm and gauge 42 from the retracted position shown in Fig. 1 into the advanced position shown in Fig. 4, whereupon the relatively tapered jaws 52 and 53 of the gauge 42 pick up the lowermost piece of product 3| then on the stop 30 of the work holder 24 and wedge the same between overlength, standard and underlength sections of the jaws 52 and 53 to carry such 4a piece of product into the advanced position as shownv in Fig. 4.

Preferably the impelling mechanism 69 or the pushing plate 13 thereof is used, in which event the plate T3 is substantially adjacent the product Si while the latter is in the lowermost position in the work holder 24 and yieldingly presses against the side of the same while the gauge 42 is moved toward the advanced position until the product is thoroughly yet gently wedged between and carried by the gauging jaws 52 and 53.

As the gauge arm 44 reaches the advanced position shown in Fig. 4, by reason of the continued rotation of the main drive shaft I6, the high lobe 19 of the impeller cani I6 moves the impeller crank arm 1D into the inoperative position shown in Fig. 4, and concurrently the low lobe B9 of the ejector cam 85 allows the ejector arm 8| to be moved in a counterclockwise direction .by the spring 85, so that the head 90 thereon is moved from the raised inoperative position shown by solid lines in Fig. 4 into the lowermost position shown by dot-and-dash lines in the same figure, to eject work into underlying chutes 56, 51 or 58.l The lobes on the various cams are proportioned to maintain the guage arm 44 in the advanced position and the impeller arm 'I0 in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 4 a sufcient length of time for the ejector arm 8| to be moved from the raised to the lowered position and then back again before the gauge arm 44 and impeller arm 10 are again moved into the loading position shown in Fig. 1.

The cycle of movements just described is repeated for each piece of work. However, since the entire machine has a simple positive gauging action upon the product it may be operated at a high rate of speed and results in a large production. It should be noted that the detent 33 is normally in the position shown in Fig. 4 after the gauge 42 initially moves toward the operative position even a. slight extent and remains in this position all the time that the gauge completes its travel toward and into the advanced position, and until the gauge is again moved substantially into the retracted position shown in Fig. l. As the gauge member approaches its farthest rearward or retracted position shown in Fig. 1 a pin 99 at the side thereof engages the finger 40 on the rod 36 and thereby kicks the detent from the stopping position shown in Fig. 4 into the clearing position shown in Fig. 1 in order to allow the next succeeding piece of work 3l to drop downwardly onto the stop 30.

It should be particularly noted that the retracting or non-work-perforniing travel of the gauging, impelling and ejecting components of the machine are mechanically and positively driven while the advancing or Work-performing travel of these components is achieved by springs so that there will be no crushing of product, with possible dangerous results, if for any reason product should happen to jam therein.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

l. In a gauging apparatus, the combination of a main frame; gauging means mounted on said frame and oscillatable vfrom a product receiving position to a final position; means to feed product to the gauging means; ejecting means oscillatably mounted on the frame to eject product from the gauging means when said gauging means is in its final position; and an oscillatable impelling means mounted on the frame and coordinately movable into operative position to press product into said gauging means and movable into an inoperative position during ejection of product from the gauging means.

2. In a gauging apparatus, the combination of a main frame; a main drive shaft on said frame with cam means mounted thereon; gauging means mounted on said frame and oscillatable from a product receiving position to a final position; yielding means to move said gauging means from the product receiving position to said final position, said gauging means being returnable positively by said cam means; means to feed product to the gauging means; oscillatable ejecting means mounted on the frame and movable by a yieldable means when the gauging means is at its final position to eject product therefrom, and returnable to an inoperative position positively by said cam means; and an iinpelling means oscillatable with the gauging means to yieldably press product into said gauging means and movable positively by said cam means to an inoperative position during ejection of product from the gauging means.

3. In a gauging apparatus, the combination of a main frame; gauging means mounted on said frame, and oscillatable from a product receiving position to a nal position; means to feed product to the gauging means, said feed means including a product holder; a detent on said holder adapted to be operated by oscillation of the gauging means to allow movement of a piece of product into the path of said moving gauge; ejecting means oscillatably mounted on the frame to eject product from the gauging means when said gauging means is in its final position; and an oscillatable impelling means mounted on the frame and coordinately movable into operative position to press product into said gauging means, and movable into an inoperative position during ejection of product from the gauging means.

4. In a gauging apparatus, the combination of a main frame; a gauge; means for oscillating said gauge through a predetermined path to advanced and retracted positions; means to feed pieces of product into the path of said gauge, so as to be picked up by the gauge in its movement; an impeller in the path of said gauge for pressing the product into the gauge; chutes underlying said gauge when the latter is in the advanced position; means for removing the irnpeller from the product; and means for ejecting product from the gauge into one of said chutes in accordance with the position of the product in the gauge.

WARREN S. REYNOLDS. 

